A leading union has ruled out industrial action over plans for 500 job cuts at Exeter-based airline Flybe.
Unite has pledged to scrutinise the company's cost-cutting plans in a bid to avoid compulsory redundancies, but it is understood that the union has no plans to ballot staff on strike action.
Representatives of Unite, the British Airline Pilots' Association (BALPA), Unite and Prospect met Flybe management this week as consultation continues over the proposed cuts, which include 116 redundancies in Exeter.
A Unite spokeswoman said Flybe had been "very open" but stressed that the consultation process was still at an early stage.
Flybe chief executive Saad Hammad has previously thanked union and staff representatives for the "very constructive manner" in which the talks began earlier this month.
Unite regional officer Rob Miguel said: "The airline faces some real challenges to its UK business with Flybe pulling out of several UK bases and routes. Our members have borne the brunt of these cuts over the past year. To date, Unite has ensured that no compulsory redundancies have taken place and we expect the company to work with us to achieve that aim going forward.
"Our priorities are to ensure as many jobs as possible are secure and we will be working hard once again to try to make it a reality."
Among those facing the prospect of redundancy are 179 pilots. BALPA has said it expects all bases except Manchester to see a reduction in pilot numbers, while Flybe is proposing to close its bases at Aberdeen, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey and Newcastle. Knock-on effects on routes are not yet known.
BALPA's general secretary Jim McAuslan said: "Flybe needs to get back on the right track, but it is extremely disappointing that redundancies will be needed to do that. We will be working with the company day-in, day-out to keep compulsory redundancies to an absolute minimum and to help pilots who have loyally served the company and its passengers find new jobs.
"Pilots and their families will be suffering as they await further news. But so will the communities and islands served by Flybe who – apart from losing high-quality jobs from the area – will be wanting assurances that their connectivity will continue.
"Flybe plays an important part in connecting the countries, regions and islands of the UK and it would harm the local economy of those areas if connections are lost. That is why the Government should assist Flybe by reducing Air Passenger Duty."
If the proposed cuts go ahead, staff affected will leave the company in two phases, at the end of January and the end of March.
As the home of the airline's headquarters, aircraft maintenance hub and training academy, Exeter is facing the prospect of more job losses than any other location.
Flybe is also proposing to close its bases in Aberdeen, Guernsey, Inverness, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Newcastle.
The new cost-cutting drive was announced as Flybe reported pre-tax profits of £13.8m for the six months to the end of September, compared with a loss of £1.6m a year earlier.
It comes on top of the first two phases of a turnaround plan unveiled in January and is expected to deliver an extra £7m of savings this year and £26m next year. Flybe cut 490 jobs in 2012-13, with a further 100 going in the first half of 2013-14. It now employs 2,700 people.
The current proposals would leave Flybe with about 2,200 employees.
